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Shakespeare 

1616-1916 


THE 

REDWOOD  LIBRARY 
GUIDE 

TO  AN  APPRECIATION  OF 

Wm  SHAKESPEARE 

His  Works  and  Fame 

Being 

A  Few  Explanatory  Notes 

On  an  Exhibition  of  Books  and  Manuscripts 

Selected  from  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  MARSDEN  J.  PERRY 


it 

*  A 


PRINTED  in  Providence  at  the  sign  of  the  Standard  and 
are  to  be  sold  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Redwood  Library 
on  Bellevue  Avenue  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  1916 


Copyright,  1916 

By 
GEORGE  PARKER  WINSHIP 


TO   T#E  READER 

rHE  REDWOOD  LIBRARY  joins  in 
the  Celebration  of  the  Tercentenary  of 
Shakespeare's  death  with  an  exhibition  of 
engraved  portraits,  of  engravings  of  actors  in 
Shakespearean  parts,  accompanied  by  autograph 
letters  signed  by  many  famous  players,  and  of 
the  books  and  manuscripts  described  on  the 
following  pages.  From  the  middle  of  June  until 
the  first  of  August,  the  people  of  Newport  and 
their  visitors  have  an  opportunity  to  see  the  most 
significant,  and  some  of  the  rarest  and  most 
valuable  presentations  of  the  poet's  personal 
appearance,  and  many  interpretations  of  the 
playwright's  creations. 

The  books  have  been  selected  with  the  object  of 
making  William  Shakespeare  seem  like  a  real 
person.  They  show  how  his  writings  were  first 
Printed ;  the  books  he  read;  what  his  friends 
were  reading  and  writing ;  and  what  his  con- 
temporaries thought  about  him.  The  notes  in 
this  Guide  try  to  emphasize  this  character  of 
these  Shakespearean  treasures.  These  are  of 
inestimable  value  because  they  have  to  do  with 
one  of  the  greatest  geniuses  that  ever  lived.  But 
they  also  show  that  this  genius  was  a  very 
human  being,  who  did  his  work  and  lived  his 
life  among  his  fellows. 

The  notes,  which  have  made  free  use  of  many 


3 


341567 


4 


people's  learning,  also  explain  some  of  the 
phrases  used  by  Shakespearean  writers  and 
collectors,  which  are  not  always  understood  by 
those  who  are  unfamiliar  with  the  byways  of 
Elizabethan  literature.  It  is  hoped  that  this 
will  give  the  Guide  a  more  permanent  interest 
than  might  attach  to  a  mere  Catalogue  of  the 
books  which  are  for  a  few  weeks  on  public  view. 

GEORGE  PARKER   WINSHIP 

Harry  Elkins  Widener  Memorial 
Harvard  University 


ILLIAM  SHAKESPEARE, 

the  son  of  a  Stratford  village  trader 
and  town  officer,  made  his  way  to 
London  and  became  an  actor.  Be- 
fore he  was  thirty,  he  had  made  a 
place  for  himself  in  the  public  esteem.  An  angry  rival, 
who  saw  his  former  patrons  turning  to  the  younger 
man,  described  him  as  "An  upstart  Crow  .  .  .  with  his 
Tygers  heart  wrapt  in  a  Players  hide,  ...  an  absolute 
Johannes  factotum,  in  his  owne  conceit,  the  only  Shake- 
scene  in  a  countrie." 

As  a  factotum,  a  handy  man  of  all  work,  the  young 
actor  had  made  himself  useful  by  the  year  1592. 
Gifted  with  a  ready  wit,  a  knack  of  expressing  easily 
remembered  phrases  in  colloquial  garb,  and  a  quick 
appreciation  of  the  human  mind  and  heart,  his  fellow 
actors  found  abundant  work  for  him  to  do.  The  stock 
company  to  which  they  belonged  tried  a  few  new  plays 
and  revived  many  old  favorites.  Then,  just  as  ever 
since,  the  actors  tried  to  please  their  audience,  and 
cared  little  for  anything  that  interfered  with  this. 
When  they  put  on  a  play,  they  left  out  the  lines  that 
could  be  spared,  and  welcomed  new  ones,  a  whole 
speech  or  a  fresh  scene,  which  made  a  more  successful 
performance.  There  is  one  play  in  which  the  whole 
procedure  can  be  traced. 

The  age  was  that  of  Good  Queen  Bess,  of  an  island 
kingdom  becoming  a  world  power,  of  armadas  to  sink 
and  El  Doradoes  to  seek.  The  London  audiences  de- 
manded patriotic  thrills,  and  the  stage  managers  tried 
to  satisfy  them.  One  play  that  they  produced  dealt 
with  the  reign  of  Henry  VI,  and  it  illustrates  quite 
perfectly  how  the  actor  became  a  playwright.  This 
was  a  new  play  which  the  company  bought  from  its 
authors,  but  the  latter  found  their  offspring  much 
changed  when  they  saw  it  next,  upon  the  public  stage. 
It  is  likely  that  Robert  Greene's  angry  protest  was  due 


Born  in 
April,  1564 


Robert  Greene, 
who  died  Sep- 
tember 3,  1592, 
in  his  Greene's 
Groats-worth  of 
Wit 


March  3,  1592 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  1 

The  printed  play 
has  the  title:  The 
First  part  of  the 
Contention  be- 
twixt Yorke  and 
Lancaster 


No.  17 

The  title  is :  The 
Whole  Conten- 
tion betweene 
the  two  Famous 
Houses,  .  .  . 
Divided  into  two 
Parts 


See  Nos.  36-41 


Sixteen  acknowl- 
edged  plays 
printed  during 
Shakespeare's 
Lifetime 

Romeo 
Henry  V. 
Hamlet 
Pericles 
Merry  Wives 


See  the  Note  to 
No.  5 


The  Quartos 


to  the  way  his  upstart  rival  had  dealt  with  his  work  in 
this  play.  Luckily,  the  play  was  printed  in  1594,  and 
one  of  the  two  surviving  copies  is  in  this  exhibition. 
In  this  it  is  possible  to  detect  a  few  lines,  possibly  a 
scene  or  two,  which  seem  to  come  from  Shakespeare's 
'prentice  hand. 

The  reign  of  Henry  VI  was  a  popular  theme,  and 
eventually  it  was  made  the  subject  of  three  perform- 
ances. Shakespeare  tinkered  with  it  from  time  to 
time,  probably  introducing  some  new  lines  and  dis- 
carding others  each  time  it  was  revived.  It  was  not 
printed  again  until  1619,  when  it  appeared  as  a  part  of 
the  famous  "first-collected"  volume  of  that  year. 
This  was  an  unauthorized  edition  and  seems  to  have 
been  taken  from  a  copy  of  the  play  as  performed  some 
years  earlier,  before  it  had  received  Shakespeare's  final 
revision.  His  name  appeared  on  the  title-page,  but 
this  evidence  means  less  than  might  be  wished.  The 
name  had  become  well  known,  and  publishers  had 
shown  an  inconsiderate  desire  to  attach  it  to  plays  with 
which  its  owner  had  little  or  nothing  to  do,  in  order  to 
induce  the  public  to  buy  them.  The  form  in  which  he 
left  it  appears  in  the  text  of  the  First  Folio,  where  it 
receives  the  title  by  which  it  is  now  known:  "The 
second  Part  of  Henry  the  Sixt." 

Shakespeare's  plays  were  written  for  the  stage,  but 
the  public  demand  for  copies  to  read  was  supplied  by 
the  publication  of  the  text  of  those  which  had  the 
most  popular  success.  In  a  few  cases  the  printers 
issued  the  plays  without  the  owner's  permission,  from 
shorthand  copies  made  during  the  performances.  In 
most  instances,  however,  the  publication  was  regularly 
authorized,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  text  was  printed 
directly  from  the  author's  manuscript  or  from  a  copy 
made  for  the  use  of  the  actors. 

These  separately  printed  plays  are  now  known  as 
the  "  Quarto  "  editions.  They  were  of  about  the  size 
of  this  pamphlet,  and  get  the  name  from  the  fact  that 


Lifetime  Quartos 


the  paper  on  which  they  were  printed  was  folded  twice, 
into  quarters,  making  four  leaves  nearly  square  in 
shape.  The  "  Folio  "  editions  are  so  called  because 
they  were  printed  on  paper  of  the  same  size  as  the 
quartos,  folded  only  once,  making  two  tall  leaves. 

These  Quarto  editions  in  this  exhibition  appeared 
during  the  author's  lifetime : 

The  First  part  of  the  Contention  betwixt  the  two 
famous  Houses  of  Yorke  and  Lancaster.  London 
Printed  by  Thomas  Creed,  for  Thomas  Milling- 
ton,  and  are  to  be  sold  at  his  shop  under  Saint 
Peters  Church  in  Cornwall.  1594. 

This  is  the  earliest  form  of  the  play,  written  by  some  of  his 
older  contemporaries,  which  Shakespeare  revised  and  amended 
into  "  The  second  Part  of  Henry  the  Sixt,"  as  printed  in  the 
First  Folio,  No  26. 

The  only  other  recorded  copy  of  this  First  Part  is  in  the 
Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford. 

There  is  a  record  that  the  play  of  Henry  VI  was  acted  at  the 
Rose  Theatre  on  March  3,  1592. 

Only  one  play  with  which  Shakespeare  had  to  do  was  printed 
before  this.  Titus  A ndronicus  probably  appeared  a  few  weeks 
earlier  in  the  same  year.  The  single  surviving  copy  of  the  first 
edition  was  discovered  in  Sweden  in  the  year  1905. 

Much  adoe  about  Nothing.  As  it  hath  been  sundrie 
times publikely  acted  by  the  Lord  Chamberlaine  his 
servants.  Written  by  William  Shakespeare.  Lon- 
don Printed  by  V.  S.  for  Andrew  Wise,  and 
William  Aspley,  1600. 

The  First  Edition  of  this  play,  and  the  only  one  preceding  the 
First  Folio. 

The  binding  of  red  morocco  is  by  Lortic  freres. 

The  name  of  Shakespeare  first  appeared  on  the  title-page  of 
a  play  in  1598,  on  the  second  editions  of  King  Richard  II, 
King  Richard  III,  and  Loves  Labors  Lost. 

In  1593  and  1594,  he  signed  the  dedications  to  Venus  and 
Adonis  and  The  Rape  of  Lucrece,  but  his  name  was  not  at  that 
time  well  enough  known  for  it  to  appear  on  the  title-pages  of 
those  poems.  In  1599  it  was  used  on  the  title  of  The  Passion- 


The  Folio* 


No.l 

Second    Part   of 
Henry  VI. 


Entered  for  pub- 
1  i c a t i o n  (i.e., 
copyright)  on 
the  Register  of 
the  London  Com- 
pany of  Station- 
ers on  March  12, 
1593-94 


Entered  on  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1593-4 


No.  2 

Much  Ado 


Entered  for  pub- 
lication August 
23,  1600 


See  Nos.  42-44 


8 


William  Shakespeare 


See  Nos.  36-41 


No.  3 

Henry  IV. 


Entered  for  pub- 
lication August 
23,  1600 


No.  4 

Richard  III. 


No.  5 

Richard  II. 


ate  Pilgrime,  a  collection  of  twenty  poems  of  which  he  wrote 
only  five. 

After  1600,  the  name  occurs  usually  on  the  titles  of  the  plays 
written  by  him,  as  well  as  on  several  other  plays  which  have 
few  if  any  lines  from  his  pen. 

The  Second  part  of  Henrie  the  fourth,  With  the 
humours  of  Sir  John  Falstaffe,  and  swaggering 
Pistoll.  As  it  hath  been  sundrie  times  publikely 
acted  by  the  Lord  Chamberlaine  his  servants. 
Written  by  *  William  Shakespeare.  London 
Printed  by  V.  S.  for  Andrew  Wise,  and  William 
Asp  ley,  1600. 

The  First  Edition  of  this  play,  giving  "  The  earlier,  purer  and 
less  sophisticated  text."  The  only  Quarto  edition  preceding 
the  First  Folio. 

This  copy,  which  lacks  the  title-page,  is  of  the  first  issue, 
printed  before  the  discovery  that  a  part  of  the  third  act  had 
been  omitted.  Six  other  copies  of  this  first  issue  are  known. 

The  name  written  on  the  margin  is  that  of  Admiral  Sir 
William  Penn,  to  whom  this  copy  belonged  about  1670. 

The  Tragedie  of  King  Richard  the  Third.  As  it 
hath  bin  lately  Acted  by  the  Lord  Chamberlaine  his 
servants.  Newly  augmented,  By  William  Shake- 
speare. London,  Printed  by  Thomas  Creede,  and 
are  to  be  sold  by  Mathew  Lawe,  dwelling  in  Paules 
Church-yard,  at  the  Signe  of  the  Foxe,  neare  S. 
Austins  gate,  1605. 
The  Fourth  Edition.  Only  three  other  copies  of  this  edition 

are  known. 
First  printed  in  1597,  and  again  in  1598  (with  Shakespeare's 

name  on  the  title)  and  1602.    The  third  edition  claimed  in  the 

title  to  be  "  Newly  augmented,"  but  it  contained  no  new  matter. 

This  was  one  of  the  most  popular  of  Shakespeare's  plays,  later 

editions  appearing  in  1612,  1622,  1629,  and  1634. 
Admiral  Sir  William  Penn's  copy. 

The  Tragedie  of  King  Richard  the  Second:  \With 
new  additions  of  the  Parliament  Sceane,  and  the 
deposing  of  King  Richard,']  As  it  hath  been  lately 
acted  by  the Kinges Majesties  servantes,  at  the  Globe. 


Lifetime  Quartos 


By  William  Shake-speare.  London,  Printed  by 
W.  W.  for  Mathew  Law,  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
his  shop  in  Paules  Church-yard,  at  the  signe  of 
the  Foxe.  1608. 

This  copy  lacks  the  title,  so  that  it  is  not  possible  to  tell 
whether  this  is  the  first  or  second  issue  of  the  fourth  edition, 
which  differ  only  on  the  title-page. 

The  words  in  brackets  above  occur  on  only  one  copy,  at  the 
Bodleian   Library.     Four  copies  are  recorded  without   these 
words,  and  two  others,  in  addition  to  this  one,  lack  the  title-page- 
First  printed  in  1597,  twice  in   1598,  twice  in  1608,  in  1615 
and  1634. 

Mr.  A.  W.  Pollard,  in  the  Introduction  to  a  recently  published 
facsimile  of  the  only  known  copy  of  the  third  edition,  of  1598, 
gives  strong  reasons  for  believing  that  the  original  quarto 
edition  represents  the  author's  actual  text  as  presented  on  the 
stage. 

The  Late,  And  much  admired  Play,  Called  Pericles. 
As  it  hath  been  divers  and  sundry  times  acted  by 
his  Maiesties  Servants,  at  the  Globe  on  the  Banck- 
side.  By  William  Shakespeare.  Imprinted  at 
London  for  Henry  Gosson,  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
the  signe  of  the  Sunne  in  Pater-noster  row,  &c. 
1609. 

The  Second  Edition,  printed  the  same  year  and  with  the  same 
title  as  the  first,  from  which  it  is  commonly  distinguished  by  the 
misprint  "Eneer"  for  Enter  in   the  opening  stage  direction. 
Three  other  copies  are  recorded  of  this  edition. 
This  is  an  unusual  copy,  both  on  account  of  its  wide  margins 
and  uncut  edges,  and  because  it  shows  exactly  how  these  early 
plays  were  originally  issued  to  purchasers,  in  a  plain  paper 
wrapper.     It  is  in  the  condition  in  which  the  first  purchaser  se- 
cured it,  bound  with  a  copy  of  Samuel  Daniel's   The  Queens 
Arcadia,  printed  in  1606. 

The  quarto  editions  are  the  only  authority  for  the  text  of  this 
play.  It  is  "full  of  mistakes,  which  can  only  be  explained  by 
the  copy  having  been  taken  down  by  shorthand  writers  at  the 
theatre." 

That  Pericles  was  a  very  popular  play  is  shown  by  the 
frequency  with  which  it  was  printed:  twice  in  1609,  in  1611, 
1619,  twice  in  1630,  and  in  1635.  Shakespeare's  name  is  on  the 
title  of  each  of  these  editions,  but  it  was  not  included  among  his 


See  the  Note  to 
No.  71 


No.  6 

Pericles 


Entered  for  pub- 
1  icat ion ,  by 
another  book- 
seller, May  20, 
1608 


No.  79 
The  Queens 
Arcadia 


The  1619  edition 
is  No.  18 


10 


William  Shakespeare 


See  No.  32 


No.  7 

Pericles 


No.  8 

Titus 
Andronicus 


The  "Life-time" 
Quartos 


Seventeenth 
Century  Quartos 


works  by  the  editors  of  the  First  or  Second  Folios.     It  was 
admitted,  with  six  other  plays  not  by  him,  in  the  edition  of  1664. 

The  Late,  And  much  admired  Play,  Called  Pericles, 
By  William  Shakespeare.  Printed  at  London  by 
S.S.  1611. 

The  Third  Edition.    This  is  the  only  perfect  copy  known. 
The  other  copy  in  the  British  Museum  lacks  two  leaves. 
The  red  morocco  binding  is  by  Riviere. 

The  Most  Lamentable  Tr age  die  of  Titus  Andronicus. 
As  it  hath  sundry  times  beene  plaide  by  the  Kings 
Maiesties  Servants.  London,  Printed  for  Bed- 
ward  White,  and  are  to  be  solde  at  his  shoppe,  nere 
the  little  North  dore  of  Pauls,  at  the  signe  of  the 
Gun.  1611. 

The  Third  Edition. 

This  was  the  first  Shakespearean  play  to  be  printed,  in  the 
spring  of  1594. 

Only  a  single  copy  of  the  first  edition,  and  two  of  the  second, 
printed  in  1600,  are  known.  Fourteen  copies  of  this  edition  are 
recorded. 

Shakespeare's  name  does  not  appear  on  the  title  of  the  quarto 
editions.  It  is  also  the  only  play  ordinarily  included  in  the 
collection  of  Shakespeare's  works,  except  the  Third  Part  of 
Henry  VI,  of  which  the  early  performances  were  given  by  com- 
panies to  which  he  did  not  belong. 

In  addition  to  those  already  mentioned,  ten  other 
Shakespeare  plays  were  printed  during  his  lifetime. 
These  were  :  Romeo  and  Juliet,  in  1597  and  1599: 
Henry  IV,  Parti,  and  Loves  Labor  Lost  in  1598  ;  Mer- 
chant of  Venice,  Henry  V,  and  Midsummer  Nights 
Dream,  in  1600 ;  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor  in  1602 ; 
Hamlet in  1603  and  1604;  King  Lear  in  1608;  and 
Troilus  and  Cressida  in  1609.  One  other  play,  Othello, 
was  first  printed  in  1622,  before  the  appearance  of  the 
First  Folio,  a  year  later.  Three  more  were  published 
separately  in  the  seventeenth  century :  The  Taming 
of  the  Shrew  \}\  1631,  Macbeth  in  1673  andfutius  Caesar 
in  1684. 


Later  Quartos 


1 1 


That  these  plays  were  read,  as  well  as  acted,  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  of  these  nineteen  plays,  seventy- 
six  separate  editions  were  printed  during  the  century 
in  which  the  author  lived.  A  few  of  these  are : 

The  most  excellent  Historic  of  the  Merchant  of  Venice: 
London :  Printed  for  William  Leake,  and  are 
to  be  solde  at  his  shop  at  the  sign  of  the  Crown 
in  Fleetstreet,  between  the  two  Temple  Gates,  1652. 

The  Fourth  Edition. 

This  is  the  Third  Edition,  of  1637,  with  a  new  title  intended  to 
make  it  appear  as  a  fresh  publication. 

The  Tragedy  of  Hamlet  Prince  of  Denmarke.  Newly 
Imprinted  and  inlarged,  according  to  the  true  and 
perfect  Copy  lastly  Printed.  London ,  Printed  by 
W.  S.  for  John  Smethwicke,  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
his  Shop  in  Saint  Duns  tans  Church-yard  in  Fleet 
street:  Under  the  Diall. 

The  Fourth  Edition,  undated.  Smethwick  issued  the  third 
edition  in  1611,  and  the  fifth  in  1637  (see  the  next  title). 

The  first  edition  came  out  in  1603  and  the  second  a  year  later, 
with  title-pages  dated  1604  or  1605.  There  were  two  editions 
in  1676,  one  in  1683,  two  issues  in  1695  differing  only  in  the  im- 
print, and  two  editions  in  1703. 

The   Tragedy  of  Hamlet.      London,   Printed  by   R. 

Young  for  John  Smethwicke,  1637. 
The  Fifth  Edition. 

The  Tragcedy  of  Othello.  The  fourth  Edition.  London, 
Printed  for  William  Leak  at  the  Crown  in  Fleet- 
street,  between  the  two  Temple  Gates,  1655. 

The  Third  Edition,  so  far  as  known  from  extant  copies. 
First  printed  in  1622,  and  again  in  1630.     Later  editions  are 
dated  1681,  1687,  and  1695. 
This  was  Sir  Henry  Irving's  copy. 

The  original  editions  of  the  plays  which  were  used 
by  Shakespeare  as  a  foundation,  upon  which  he  con- 
structed his  dramas,  are  only  a  degree  less  valuable 


See  Miss  Hen- 
rietta Bartlett's 
Ctnsus  of "Shake- 
speare's Plays 
in  Quarto,  1594- 
1709,  New 
Haven,  1916. 


No.  9 

Merchant  of 
Venice 


No.  10 

Hamlet 


An  "  edition  " 
means  an  inde- 
pendent print- 
ing ;  a  separate 
"  issue"  implies 
that  changes 
were  made  in 
what  is  other- 
wise a  single 
printing 


No.  11 

Hamlet 


No.  12 
Othello 


Source  Plays 


12 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  13 

King  John 


No.  14 

King  John 


See  the  text 
above  No.  36 


No.  15 

King  Leir 


and  important  than  those  of  his  own  acknowledged 
productions.  The  title  of  The  First  Part  of  the 
Contention,  listed  above  as  No.  1,  might  properly 
have  been  entered  here. 

[  The  Troublesome  Raigne  of  John  King  of  England. 
As  it  was  (sundry  times)  publikely  acted  by  the 
Queenes  Maiesties  Players,  in  the  honourable  citie 
of  London.  Imprinted  for  Sampson  Clarke,  on  the 
backe-side  of  the  Roy  all  Exchange.  1591.] 

The  First  Edition.  This  copy  lacks  the  title-page.  Only  one 
perfect  copy  is  recorded. 

Shakespeare's  King  John  was  a  complete  rewriting  of  this 
play,  from  which  he  took  the  plot  and  characters. 

The  First  and  second  Part  of  the  troublesome  Raigne 
of  John  King  of  England.  As  they  were  (sundry 
times)  lately  acted  by  the  Queenes  Maiesties  Players. 
Written  by  W.  Sh.  Imprinted  at  London  by  Val- 
entine Simmes  for  John  Helme,  and  are  to  be  sold 
at  his  shop  in  Saint  Dunstons  Church-yard  in  Fleete- 
street,  1611. 

The  Second  Edition  of  the  non-Shakespearean  play. 

Shakespeare  probably  wrote  his  King  John,  which  was  first 
printed  in  the  First  Folio  in  1623,  about  1594.  The  use  of  his 
initials  on  the  title  of  this  edition,  and  of  his  full  name  the  next 
time  it  was  printed,  in  1622,  were  the  device  of  a  bookseller  to 
make  the  book  more  saleable,  and  to  supply  a  popular  demand. 
The  actors,  in  this  as  in  most  other  cases,  were  not  willing  to 
have  the  correct  text  of  their  play  printed. 

The  True  Chronicle  History  of  King  Leir,  As  it  hath 
bene  divers  and  sundry  times  lately  acted.  London, 
Printed  for  Simon  Stafford  for  John  Wright,  and 
are  to  be  sold  at  his  shop  at  Christes  Church  dore, 
next  Newgate-Market,  1605. 

The  First  Edition,  so  far  as  known.  The  play  was  licensed 
in  1593,  perhaps  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  printers  from 
issuing  it. 

Shakespeare's  play  was  entirely  rewritten  from  this  one. 


First  Collection 


The  earliest  attempt  to  issue  Shakespeare's  works 
as  a  set  or  collected  edition  was  made  in  1619.  The 
publisher,  Thomas  Pavier,  and  his  printer,  William 
Jaggard,  had  both  experimented  previously  with  the 
commercial  value  of  the  playwright's  name.  Jaggard 
was  responsible  for  placing  it  on  the  title  of  The  Pas- 
sionate Pilgrime  in  1599,  and  Pavier  had  named  him  as 
the  author  of  The  Yorkshire  Tragedy,  on  the  title  of 
the  first  edition,  "  sold  at  his  shop  on  Cornhill,  neere  to 
the  exchange,"  in  1608.  Through  the  purchase  of  a 
printing  office,  Jaggard  had  secured  a  right  to  The 
Merchant  of  Venice,  and  Pavier  had  bought  from 
another  bookseller  a  claim  to  a  stolen,  shorthand  copy, 
text  of  Henry  V.  To  these  they  added  A  Midsummer 
Nights  Dream,  which  had  been  out  of  print  for  nine- 
teen years;  Pericles,  which  nobody  claimed;  and  King 
Lear  and  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor,  by  some 
arrangement  with  the  owners.  The  Whole  Contention 
between  York  and  Lancaster\&&  been  discarded  by  the 
players  for  another  version  of  the  Second  Part  of 
Henry  VI.  With  seven  plays  rather  less  than  more 
by  Shakespeare,  the  venturers  completed  their  work 
by  crediting  to  him  The  Yorkshire  Tragedy  and  The 
first  part  of  the  Life  of  Sir  John  Old-castle. 

These  nine  plays,  all  but  one  with  the  line,  "  Written 
by  William  (or,  W.)  Shakespeare,"  and  the  date  of  the 
earlier  edition  from  which  they  were  reprinted,  on  the 
title-page,  were  issued  by  Pavier  and  Jaggard  in  1619. 
They  were  doubtless  sold  separately  or  in  sets,  and 
were  also  bound  in  a  single  volume,  in  brown  leather. 

There  is  no  sufficient  evidence  that  the  publishers  in 
1619  tried  to  mislead  their  purchasers  by  offering 
them  books  fifteen  years  old,  but  the  earlier  dates  on 
the  titles  completely  deceived  the  scholars  and  book- 
collectors  of  two  centuries  later.  There  were  prob- 
ably at  least  half  a  dozen  copies  of  this  collection  still 
existing  in  the  original  bindings,  toward  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  One  slipped  through  the  hands 


The  First 
Collected 
Edition 


See  notes  to 
No.  2 


See  No.  19 


See  No.  22 


See  No.  1 


See  No.  21 

The  exception  is 
th e  gen  uine 
Shakespearean 
Henry  V 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  16 


This  vol  u  m  e 
forms  the  subject 
ofA.W. Pollard's 
S  A  a  k  e spea  re 
Fo  1 1  o  s  and 
Quartos,  Lon- 
don, 1909 


No.  17 

Second  HenryVI 
Observe  the  simi- 
larity of  the  im- 
prints at  the  end 
of  each  title  and 
compare  with 
those  of  other 
Quartos 


No.  18 

Pericles 


No.  19 

Yorkshire 
Tragedy 


of  the  British  Museum  authorities  and  fell  into  those 
of  an  auctioneer's  binder,  in  1906.  Much  the  same  fate 
disintegrated  all  of  the  others,  with  a  single  exception. 
By  good  fortune  the  one  in  Mr.  Perry's  collection  has 
been  preserved  intact  in  its  original  condition. 

This,  the  only  surviving  copy  of  the  first  collected 
Shakespeare,  belonged  in  the  seventeenth  century  to 
Edward  Gwynn,  a  well-known  English  collector  of 
books,  many  of  which  are  now  preserved  in  the  Bod- 
leian Library  at  Oxford.  In  some  way  this  one  found 
its  way  to  Germany,  whence  it  returned  to  England 
in  1962,  and  soon  after  migrated  again,  to  Rhode 
Island. 

The  quartos  which  make  up  this  volume  are : 

The  Whole  Contention  between  the  two  Famous  Houses, 
Lancaster  and  Yorke.  Divided  into  two  Parts: 
and  newly  corrected  and  enlarged.  Printed  at 
London,  for  T.  P. 

The  second  state,  in  print,  of  the  text  of  "  The  second  Part 
of  Henry  the  Sixt." 

This  edition  is  referred  to  on  page  six  of  this  Guide. 

The  Late,  And  much  admired  Play,  called  Pericles. 
Printed  for  T.  P.  1619. 

The  Fourth  Edition.  The  second  and  third  are  Nos.  6  and 
7,  above. 

The  signature-marks  show  that  this  play  was  intended  to 
follow  The  Whole  Contention.  The  title  was  printed  on  a 
separate  leaf,  and  inserted. 

A  Yorkshire  Tragedie.     Printed  for  T.  P.  1619. 

This  play  was  first  printed  during  Shakespeare's  lifetime,  in 
1608,  as  "  Acted  by  his  Maiesties  Players  at  the  Globe." 

The  statement,  "Written  by  W.  Shakespeare,"  appeared  on 
the  title  of  that  edition  and  also  in  the  entry  made  May  2  of  the 
same  year,  in  the  record  book  of  the  Company  of  Stationers. 

It  is  likely  that  "any  play  written  for  the  King's  Company  of 
actors  at  this  date  would  have  been  submitted  to  Shakespeare 
for  him  to  read  it,  to  make  suggestions,  to  supervise  it,  and  out 
of  this  managerial  connexion  with  a  play  whispers  of  his  author- 
ship, if  no  other  name  were  attached  to  it,  would  easily  arise." 


Collected  Plays 


A  most  pleasant  and  excellent  conceited  Comedy,  of  Sir 
John  Falstaffe,  and  the  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor. 
Printed fo r  A  rthu  r  Johnson,  1619. 

The  Second  Edition. 

First  printed  in  1602  "by  T.  C.  for  Arthur  Johnson  and  are 
to  be  sold  at  his  shop  in  Powles  Church-yard,  at  the  signe  of  the 
Flower  de  Leuse  and  the  Crowne." 

The  first  part  Of  the  true  &  honorable  history,  of  the 
Life  of  Sir  John  Old-castle,  the  good  Lord  Cobham. 
London,  Printed  for  T.  P.  1600. 

The  Second  Edition. 

Shakespeare's  name  does  not  appear  on  the  title  of  the  genuine 
first  edition,  which  was  printed  in  1600.  The  play  is  known  to 
have  been  written  in  collaboration  by  Anthony  Munday,  Michael 
Drayton,  Robert  Wilson,  and  Thomas  Hathway.  That  their 
friend  Shakespeare  may  have  helped  them  in  some  sm.ill  way  is 
entirely  possible. 

There  are  a  number  of  reasons  for  believing  that  the  part  of 
Falstaff  in  The  Merry  Wives  was  first  given  the  name  of  Sir 
John  Oldcastle. 

The  Excellent  History  of  the  Merchant  of  Venice. 
Printed  by  J.  Roberts,  1600. 

The  Second  Edition. 

William  Jaggard  bought  James  Roberts'  printing  business 
in  1606. 

The  Chronicle  History  of  Henry  the  fift.  Printed  for 
T.  P.  1608. 

The  Third  Edition. 

Pavier  published  the  second  edition  of  Henry  Fin  1602,  but 
no  copy  is  known  of  an  edition  printed  in  1608. 

M.  William  Shake-Speare,  His  True  Chronicle  History 
of  King  Lear.  Printed  for  Nathaniel  Butter, 
1608. 

The  Second  Edition. 

First  printed  in  1608  "  for  Nathaniel  Butter,  and  are  to  be  sold 
at  his  shop  in  Pauls  Church-yard  at  the  signe  of  the  Pide  Bull 
neere  St.  Austins  Gate."  This  is  commonly  referred  to  as  the 
"  Pide  Bull  edition." 


No.  20 

Merry  Wives 


No.  21 

Oldcastle 


See  No.  48 


No.  22 

Merchant  of 
Venice 


No.  23 

Henry  V 


The  copy  which 
is  shown  is  from 
the  collection  of 
Dr.  Roderick 
Terry 

No.  24 

Lear 

The  copy  shown 
is  from  Dr. 
Terry's  collec- 
tion. 

The  device  on 
the  title-page  was 
used  on  all  the 
other  titles,  ex- 
cept the  Mid- 
summer Night's 
Dream 


i6 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  25 

Midsummer 
Nights  Dream 


The  Authorized 
Edition 


John  Heminge 
&  Henry  Con- 
dall,  to  whom 
Shakespeare  by 
his  will  left  26s  : 
8d: 


No.  26 

The  First  Folio 


Lee's  Supple- 
ment to  his  Cen- 
sus, in  1906, 
accounts  for  172 
copies 


A  Midsommer  nights  dreame.  Printed  by  James 
Roberts,  1600. 

The  Second  Edition. 

There  seems  to  be  no  evidence  that  Roberts  printed  the  first 
edition,  in  1600,  with  the  imprint,  "for  Thomas  Fisher,  and  are 
to  be  soulde  at  his  shoppe,  at  the  Signe  of  the  White  Hart,  in 
Fleetestreete." 

The  collected  edition  or  set  of  1619  was  obviously 
not  an  authorized  publication.  The  manuscript  copies 
and  acting  versions  of  the  plays  belonged  to  the  com- 
pany of  actors  for  whose  use  they  were  written.  Two 
of  these  actors,  friends  of  the  author,  perhaps  on  their 
own  initiative  or  more  probably  at  the  suggestion  of 
Edward  Blount,  arranged  to  bring  out  a  complete 
edition ;  "  onely  to  keepe  the  memory  of  so  worthy  a 
Friend  &  Fellow  alive,  as  was  our  Shakespeare.'  " 
Blount  was  the  leading  publisher  of  works  of  literature 
in  London  at  that  time,  and  a  close  friend  of  South- 
ampton, Marlowe,  and  others  in  the  literary  set. 

The  volume  was  entitled  : 

Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies,  Histories,  & 
Tragedies.  Published  according  to  the  True  Otig- 
inall  Copies.  London,  Printed  by  Isaac  Jaggard, 
and  Ed.  Blount,  1623.  [At  end  :  Printed  at  the 
Charges  of  W.  Jaggard,  Ed.  Blount,  I.  Smithweeke, 
and  W.  Aspley,  1623. 

The  First  Folio  Edition,  in  an  original  seventeenth-century 
binding  of  brown  leather. 

This  copy  is  No.  X  in  Sir  Sidney  Lee's  Census  of  Extant 
Copies,  London,  1902,  "  Division  A.  Perfect  copies  in  good,  un- 
restored  condition."  Of  the  17  copies  in  this  condition,  only 
two  are  still  in  their  early  binding. 

Less  than  200  copies  of  the  First  Folio  are  still  in  existence. 
Most  of  these  are  more  or  less  imperfect,  showing  the  effects  of 
repeated  readings. 

Sir  Sidney  Lee,  in  an  article  published  shortly  after  this 
volume^  came  to  America,  estimated  its  value  at  ^5,000.  It 
belonged  previously  to  Mr.  MacGeorge  of  Glasgow,  who  secured 


The  First  Folio 


17 


it  from  a  French  family  which  settled  in  England  after  the  revo- 
cation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes. 

The  desirable  characteristics  of  a  Shakespeare  Folio  are  that 
the  volume  should  be 

(a)  perfect,   with   every  leaf  intact,  as  distinguished  from 

"complete,"  which  may  mean  that  some  leaves  have 
been  supplied  from  another  copy  of  the  same  edition. 
The  engraved  portrait  and  the  leaf  of  verses  arc  occa- 
sionally supplied  from  a  copy  of  one  of  the  later  Folios. 

(b)  intact,  in  the  original  binding,  showing  exactly  how  the 

volume  was  originally  issued,  with  the  leaves  untouched 
by  a  modern  binder  or  renovator. 

(c}  tall,  the  margins  untrimmed,  showing  the  full  size  of  the 
paper  on  which  the  volume  was  printed.  This  copy 
measures  12%  by  8#  inches.  The  only  taller,  perfect 
copies,  measuring  13  inches,  are  at  Trinity  College, 
Cambridge,  the  Bodleian  Library,  Oxford,  the  Boston 
Public  Library  and  the  John  Carter  Brown  Library, 
Providence. 

(d)  peculiar,  with  typographical  variations  from  other  copies, 
throwing  light  upon  the  mechanical  history  of  the 
volume.  Interesting  accounts  of  the  information  to  be 
deduced  from  these  peculiarities  of  different  copies 
may  be  found  in  the  preface  to  Lee's  Census  and 
Pollard's  Folios  and  Quartos.  This  copy  has  numerous 
exceptional  typographical  errors,  and  a  number  of 
seventeenth-century  manuscript  annotations  which 
were  described  in  The  Athenceum,  London,  August 
19,  1899. 

The  frontispiece  is  the  first  published  portrait  of  Shakespeare. 
It  was  engraved  by  Martin  Droeshout  for  this  volume,  and  the 
verses  signed  "  B.  I.,"  by  Ben  Jonson,  testify  to  its  resemblance 
to  the  author.  Some  of  the  best  authorities  believe  that  it  was 
engraved  from  a  painting  dated  1609,  which  is  now  in  the 
Stratford  Memorial  Gallery. 

Mr.  William  Shakespeare's  Comedies,  Histories,  and 
Tragedies.  Published  according  to  the  true  Orig- 
inall  Coppies.  The  second  Impression.  Printed  by 
Tho.  Cotes,  for  Robert  Allot,  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
his  shop  at  the  signe  of  the  black  Be  are  in  Pauls 
Chu  rch-ya  rd.  1632. 
The  Second  Folio  Edition,  with  "Coppies"  instead  of 


Shakespeare's 
Portrait 


No.  27 

Second  Folio 

"  Coppies  " 

issue 


i8 


William  Shakespeare 


Thomas  Cotes 


See  No.  16 
Robert  Allott 


William  Aspley 
Cf.  Nos.  2  and  3 


RichardMeighen 


No.  28 

Second  Folio 


"  Copies  "  on  the  title-page.  In  a  contemporary  brown  leather 
binding,  which  illustrates  the  style  in  which  these  Folio  volumes 
were  originally  sold. 

This  copy  formerly  belonged  to  George  Daniels,  the  Shakes- 
perean  collector,  and  to  B.  B.  MacGeorge  of  Glasgow. 

Several  booksellers  combined  for  the  publication  of  this 
edition.  Their  names  are  given  in  the  colophon  printed  at  the 
end  of  the  volume,  which  reads :  "  Printed  at  London  by 
Thomas  Cotes,  for  John  Smethwick,  William  Aspley,  Richard 
Hawkins,  Richard  Meighen,  and  Robert  Allot,  1632."  Each  of 
these  took  a  portion  of  the  edition  for  sale,  with  a  separate 
title-page  giving  his  name  and  address. 

Cotes,  the  printer  of  the  volume,  had  bought  in  1627  from  the 
widow  of  Isaac  (the  son  of  William)  Jaggard,  who  printed  the 
First  Folio,  all  of  the  latter's  rights  in  Shakespeare's  plays.  He 
added  to  these  by  purchase  in  1630  whatever  rights  had  per- 
tained to  Pavier,  the  publisher  of  the  1619  collection.  .  He  thus 
secured  the  profitable  printing  of  the  new  edition. 

Robert  Allott,  likewise  in  1630,  obtained  Edward  Blount's 
rights  to  16  plays.  This  gave  him,  as  a  bookseller,  the  principal 
interest  in  the  venture.  A  large  majority  of  the  existing  copies 
have  his  name  on  the  title-page,  and  it  is  probable  that  these 
represent  approximately  his  proportion  of  the  whole  edition. 
Three  varieties  of  the  title-page  were  printed  for  his  copies. 

William  Aspley  had  been  one  of  the  booksellers  who  shared 
in  the  First  Folio.  He  contributed  to  that  the  rights  which  he 
obtained  in  1600  to  Much  Ado  about  Nothing  and  the  Second 
Part  of  Henry  IV.  These  now  entitled  him  to  a  share  in  the 
new  venture,  "  to  be  sold  at  the  signe  of  the  Parrot  in  Pauls 
Church-yard." 

Richard  Meighen  secured  a  right  to  The  Merry  Wives  of 
Windsor  in  January,  1630.  The  small  part  to  which  this 
entitled  him  doubtless  accounts  for  the  fact  that  copies  of 
the  Second  Folio,  with  his  name,  "at  the  middle  Temple  Gate 
in  Fleet  street,"  on  the  title  are  the  most  difficult  of  all  to  find. 

Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies  \etc.~\  Printed  by 
Tho.  Cotes,  for  Richard  Hawkins,  and  are  to  be 
sold  at  his  shop  in  Chancery  Lane,  neere  Serjeants 
Inne,  1632. 

The  Second  Folio,  in  a  contemporary  binding. 

This  copy  has  the  bookplate  of  Sir  Francis  Skipworth,  Bart., 
Newbold-Revel,  Warwickshire,  and  is  one  of  the  few  copies  of 
the  poet's  works  which  can  be  confidently  located  in  the 


The  Second  Folio 


neighborhood    of   his   home  within  the  lifetime  of  his  own 
generation. 

Hawkins  secured  his  share  of  the  Second  Folio  through  the 
ownership  of  a  right  to  Othello,  which  he  secured  in  1628  from 
Thomas  Walkley,  the  publisher  of  the  first  quarto  of  this  play, 
in  1622.  Hawkins  issued  the  second  quarto  edition  in  1630. 

Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies  \etcJ]  Printed  by 
Tho.  Cotes,  for  John  Smethwick,  and  are  to  be  sold 
at  his  shop  in  Saint  Dunstans  Church-yard.  1632. 

Smethwick  shared  in  the  First  and  Second  Folios  through 
the  ownership,  secured  in  1607,  of  rights  to  Hamlet,  Romeo  and 
Juliet  and  Loves  Labour  Lost.  He  also  owned  the  non- 
Shakespearean,  and  confusing,  The  Taming  of  A  Shrew. 

Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies,  Histories,  and 
Tragedies.  The  Third  Impression.  London, 
Pnnted for  Philip  Chetivinde,  1663. 

The  first  issue  of  the  Third  Folio,  without  the  portrait  on  the 
title-page.  In  a  contemporary  leather  binding,  from  the  Mac- 
George  collection. 

For  some  reason,  a  few  copies  of  this  first  issue  do  not  have 
the  portrait  of  Shakespeare,  engraved  by  Droeshout,  on  the 
title.  A  probable  explanation  is  that  the  original  plate  had 
been  mislaid  and  could  not  be  found  when  the  printers  were 
ready  for  it.  It  may  also  be  that,  as  the  engraving  was  im- 
pressed on  the  page  after  the  letter-press,  these  were  copies  for 
which  there  was  an  immediate  demand,  and  not  part  of  the 
regular  edition. 

Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies  [etc.]  Printed  for 
Philip  Chetwinde,  1663. 

The  first  issue  of  the  Third  Folio,  with  the  portrait.  The 
title  has  been  repaired. 

The  appearance  of  a  new  edition  of  the  plays  at  tliis  time  was 
doubtless  connected  with  the  great  changes  in  London  life  which 
followed  the  Restoration  of  Charles  II,  two  years  earlier. 
Chetwind  apparently  intended  to  reprint  the  text  of  the  Second 
Folio,  without  change,  and  this  first  issue  of  his  edition  con- 
tains nothing  except  what  was  in  the  two  preceding  ones. 
Before  many  copies  had  been  sold,  however,  he  decided  to  in- 
clude seVen  additional  plays,  which  had  been  attributed  to  the 
same  author. 


RichardHawkins 


No.  29 

Second  Folio 


John  Smethwick 
See  Nos.  10&11 


No.  30 

Third  Folio 


No.  31 

Third  Folio 


20 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  32 

Tlurd  Folio 


Plays  publicly 
ascribed  to 
Shakespeare  dur- 
ing his  lifetime 


See  the  note  to 
Nos.  19  and  21 


Se«  No.  41 
London  Fire 


No.  33 

Fourth  Folio 


Mr.  William  Shakespeares  Comedies  \etcl\  The  Third 
Impression.  And  unto  this  Impression  is  added 
seven  Playes,  never  before  Printed  in  Folio,  viz. 
Pericles  Prince  of  Tyre.  The  London  Prodigall. 
The  History  of  Thomas  Ld.  Cromivell.  Sir  John 
Oldcastle  Lord  Cobham.  The  Puritan  Widow. 
A  York-shire  Tragedy.  The  Tragedy  of  Locrine. 
London,  Printed  for  P.  C.  1664. 

The  regular,  second  issue  of  the  Third  Folio. 

Pericles  is  the  only  one  of  the  plays  here  admitted  to  the 
Shakespeare  Canon  which  later  scholars  have  accepted  as  in  any 
important  degree  his  work.  The  earlier  separate  editions  of 
this  play,  which  had  his  name  on  the  titles,  are  described  as  nos. 
6  and  7.  Apparently  Chetwind's  first  intention  was  to  add  only 
this  one  play  to  his  edition,  as  it  has  a  separate  pagination  from 
that  of  the  six  following  plays. 

Sir  John  Oldcastle  and  A  Yorkshire  Tragedy  had  been  printed 
in  1619,  with  the  date  of  the  original  editions  of  1600  and  1608, 
and  with  Shakespeare's  name  on  the  titles.  The  London  Prodigall 
may  have  been  overlooked  by  Pavier  in  that  year,  for  the  first 
edition  of  this  play  had  appeared  in  1605,  with  Shakespeare's 
name  in  full. 

The  earlier  separate  editions  of  the  other  three  plays  all 
claimed  to  be  "  written  by  W.S."  The  Lamentable  Tragedy  of 
Locrine  in  1595  professed  to  be  "  Newly  setfoorth,  overseene  and 
corrected,  by  W.  S."  Thomas  Lord  Cromwell  was  first  printed 
in  1602,  and  The  Puritaine  or  the  Widow  of  Watling  Streete 
in  1607. 

In  1666,  a  great  part  of  central  London,  where  most  of  the 
booksellers  had  their  stalls  and  shops,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
This  probably  explains  why  the  Third  Folio  is  much  rarer  than 
the  others.  It  is  estimated  that  about  half  of  the  edition  was 
burned. 

Mr.  William  Shakespears  Comedies  [etc.']  Unto  which 
is  added,  Seven  Plays,  Never  before  Printed  in 
Folio:  viz.  [etc.']  The  Fourth  Edition.  London, 
Printed  for  H.  Herringman,  and  are  to  be  sold  by 
Joseph  Knight  and  Francis  Saunders,  at  the  Anchor 
in  the  Lower  Walk  of  the  New  Exchange,  1685. 

The  earlier  issue  of  the  Fourth  Folio. 

This  edition  was  copied  from  the  Third  Folio,  even  the  title- 


Apocrypha 


2  I 


page  repeating  the  statement  about  the  Added  Plays,  which  was 
true  in  1664,  but  not  in  1685. 

This  edition  shows  the  first  departure  from  the  usual  spelling 
of  the  author's  name,  in  any  of  the  books  containing  his  own 
works  included  in  this  exhibition. 

Mr.  William  SJiakespears  Comedies  \etcJ]  London, 
Printed  for  H.  Herringman,  E.  Brews  tert  R. 
Chiswell,  and  R.  Bentley,  at  the  Anchor  in  the 
New  Exchange  ;  and  at  the  Crane >  and  Rose  and 
Crown  in  St.  Pauls  Church-Yard,  and  in  Russ el- 
Street  Covent-Garden,  1685. 

The  later  issue  of  the  Third  Folio,  in  its  original  binding. 
Sir   Philip  Sidney's   copy,  from  the  MacGeorge  collection. 
The  other  copy  of  this  edition   came  from   George  Daniels' 
library. 

Several  plays  besides  those  already  mentioned  were 
ascribed  to  Shakespeare  by  booksellers  or  by  current 
report  during  his  lifetime.  These  are  interesting 
evidence  of  the  value  of  his  name,  and  of  a  readiness 
on  the  part  of  the  public  to  think  of  him  as  the  most 
likely  author  of  a  dramatic  work,  during  his  own  time 
and  for  two  generations  after. 

The  Merry  Devill  of  Edmonton.  As  it  hath  beene 
sundry  times  Acted,  by  his  Maiesties  Servants, 
at  the  Globe,  on  the  banke-side.  London, 
Printed  by  Henry  Bollard  for  Arthur  Johnson. 
1608. 

The  First  Edition.     Three  other  copies  are  recorded. 
The  play  was  ascribed  to  Shakespeare  on  the  Stationers' 
Register  in  1653. 
Reprinted  in  1612,  1617,  1626,  1631  and  1655. 

The  Merry  Devil  of  Edmonton.  London,  Printed  for 
William  Gilbertson,  1655. 

The  Lamentable  and  True  Tragedie  of  M.  Arden  of 
Feversham  in    Kent.     Imprinted  at  London  for 
Edward  White.     1592. 
The  First  Edition.     Two  other  copies  are  recorded. 


The  Spelling  of 
Shakespeare's 
name 


No.  34 
No.  36 

Third  Folio 


Apocrypha 


See   King  John, 
I    No.  14;  Yorkshire 
Tragedy  and 
Oldcastle,  Nos. 
19  and  21 


No.  36 

Merry  Devil 


No.  37 

Merry  Devil 


No.  2 

Arden 


22 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  39 

Mucedorus 


A   most  pleasant  Comedie  of  Mucedorus  the    Kings 
Sonne   of   Valencia,   and   Amadine   the    Kinges 
daughter  of  Aragon.     As  it  was  acted  before  the 
Kings  Maiesty,  at  White-hall  on  Shrove-Sunday 
night.    By  his  Highnesse  Servants,  usually  play- 
ing at  the  Globe.      Very  delectable,  and  full  of 
conceited  Mirth.    Imprinted  at  London  by  N.  O. 
for  William  Jones,  1615. 
The  Sixth  Edition. 

A  few  lines  in  this  play  have  been  attributed  to  Shakespeare. 
None  of  his  real  works  approached  this  in  popularity  with  con- 
temporary readers,  if  the  number  of  editions  is  a  test.  It  was 
printed  first  in  1598,  and  again  in  1606,  1610,  1611,  1613,  1615, 
1618,  1619,  1621,  1626,  [1629?],  1631,1634,  1639,  1663,  1668,  and 
once  without  date  in  the  seventeenth  century,  according  to  the 
compilers  of  the  Church  Library  Catalogue. 


No.  40 

Mucedorus 


No.  41 

Puritan  Widow 


See  No.  32 


The  Poet 


But  See  the  Note 
to  No.  56 


TheSonnetswere 
first  printed  in 
1609, fifteen  years 
after  they  were 
written 


A    most  pleasant   Comedie   of  Mucedorus. 

Printed  for  John  Wright,  1626. 
The  Tenth  Edition. 


London, 


The  Puritaine  or  The  Widdow  of  Watling-streete.  Acted 
by  the  Children  of  Paules.     Written  by   W.  S. 
Imprinted  at  London  by  G.  Eld,  1607. 
The  First,  and  only  Edition  before  the  Folio  of  1664,  in  which 

it  was  included  among  the  added  plays. 

Shakespeare  attracted  the  attention  of  his  literary 
contemporaries  as  a  poet,  before  he  became  known  as 
a  playwright.  Venus  and  Adonis  was  his  first  pub- 
lished work,  in  1593 ;  and  this  was  followed  within  a 
year  by  The  Rape  of  Lucrece.  Both  were  dedicated, 
over  his  own  name,  to  Henry  Wriothesley,  Earl  of 
Southampton,  the  patron  to  whom  he  was  most  largely 
indebted  for  his  establishment  as  a  favorite  with  the 
literary  coterie  at  Queen  Elizabeth's  court. 

These  two  poems,  as  well  as  the  Sonnets,  were 
repeatedly  quoted  and  referred  to  by  other  writers 
during  the  author's  lifetime. 


The 

Poet 

23 

Venus  and  Adonis  [Probably  Imprinted  at  London  by 
Richard  Field,  1595.] 

The  Third  Edition,  of  which  this  is  the  only  recorded  copy. 
The  first  edition  in  small  octavo  size. 

This  is  a  fragment,  lacking  the  title  and  other  leaves.  A 
comparison  with  the  text  of  other  editions  shows  that  this 
comes  between  the  second  edition,  1594,  and  that  of  1596.  It 
is  in  a  contemporary  binding  with  other  tracts,  all  of  which 
were  dated  1595,  so  it  seems  safe  to  assign  it  to  that  year. 

The  early  popularity  of  Venus  and  Adonis  is  shown  both 
by  the  number  of  editions  and  by  the  very  few  copies  that 
have  survived,  many  of  which,  like  the  present  one,  were 
evidently  read  to  pieces. 

The  poem  was  first  printed,  in  quarto,  in.  1593,  and  again  in 
1594.  One  copy  of  the  first  and  three  of  the  second  are  known. 
This  is  the  only  remnant  left  of  the  third  edition.  It  was  re- 
printed, in  this  octavo  size,  in  1596  (2  copies);  1599  (i  copy,  dis- 
covered in  1867) ;  probably  in  1600  (i  copy  lacking  the  title- 
page)  ;  1602  (perhaps  twice  in  this  year,  3  copies) ;  1617  (i  copy) ; 
1620  (i  copy) ;  1627  (at  Edinburgh,  2  copies) ;  1630  (two  editions, 
i  copy  of  each) ;  1636  (2  copies,  one  of  which  is  in  the  exhibi- 
tion) ;  and  1675  (2  copies,  one  of  which  has  been  lost  since  1864). 

Venus  and  Adonis.     London,  Printed  by  J,  H.  and  to 
be  sold  by  Francis  Coules.  1636. 

The  Thirteenth  Edition.  The  other  recorded  copy  is  in  the 
British  Museum. 

The  Rape  of  Lucrece  by  Mr.  William  Shakespeare. 
Newly  Revised.  London.  Printed  by  R.  B.  for 
John  Harrison  and  are  to  be  sold  at  his  shop  at  the 
golden  Unicorne  in  Pater-noster  Row,  1632. 

The  Seventh  Edition. 

The  binding  of  red  morocco  is  by  Lortic  freres.  Four  other 
copies  of  this  edition  are  recorded. 

Lucrece  was  first  printed  in  quarto  in  1 594,  and  ten  copies  of 
this  edition  have  survived.  The  second  edition  was  published 
in  1598,  in  small  octavo,  and  only  one  copy  of  this  is  known.  It 
was  reprinted  in  1600  (one  perfect  copy) ;  1607  (2  copies) ;  1616 
(4  copies);  1624  (6  copies);  1632  (5  copies) ;  and  1655  (5  copies 
with  the  frontispiece  portrait  by  Faithorne,  and  a  number  with- 
out this). 


No.  42 

Venus  and 
Adonis 


Nos.  59-62 


The  first  work 
of  Shakespeare 
printed  outside 
of  London 


No.  43 

Venus  and 
Adonis 


No.  44 

Lucrece 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  45 

Poems 


Portrait 


No.  46 

Poems 


Charles  Lamb 
copy 


Source  Books 


No.  55 


Poems :  Written  by  WiL  Shake-spearc r,  Gent.     Printed 
at  London  by   Tho.   Cotes,  and  are  to  be  sold  by 
John  Benson,  dwelling  in  St.   Duns  tans    Church- 
yard. 1640. 
First  collected  Edition. 
In  its  original  brown  leather  binding. 

This  volume  is  a  compilation,  containing  most  of  Shake- 
speare's Sonnets  and  shorter  poems,  together  with  verses  by 
Ben  Jonson,  Beaumont,  Fletcher,  Milton  and  others. 

The  frontispiece  by  William  Marshall  is  the  second  engraved 
portrait.  It  was  copied  from  the  Droeshout  engraving  in  the 
First  or  Second  Folio.  See  the  last  note  to  No.  26. 

Shakespeare's  Poems.  London.  Printed  by  J.  Darby 
in  Bartholomew  Close,  for  E.  Curie,  K.  Sanger  andj. 
Pemberton.  1714. 

The  notes  on  the  margins  and  fly-leaves  of  this  copy  are  in 
Charles  Lamb's  handwriting. 

The  books  which  Shakespeare  may  have  used  in 
writing  his  dramas,  or  which  may  have  exerted  an 
influence  upon  him,  divide  themselves  into  three 
groups.  There  are  a  few  works  which  it  is  certain 
that  he  used,  because,  as  from  Holinshed's  Chronicle, 
he  put  into  the  mouths  of  his  characters  speeches  of 
considerable  length  quoted  directly  from  this  source. 

A  much  larger  group  includes  the  books  which  he 
must  in  all  probability  have  read.  Some  of  these 
were  written  by  friends  or  rivals  and  can  hardly  have 
failed  to  come  into  the  hands  of  an  active,  interested 
citizen  of  London,  whose  business  was  with  the  stage 
and  its  audiences. 

There  is  a  vast  number  of  works,  in  all  the  Euro- 
pean languages,  in  which  students  of  Shakespeare's 
writings  have  found  what  seemed  to  the  finder  a 
source  for  some  idea  or  scene  or  phrase  or  word-usage. 
If  Shakespeare's  writing  had  been  something  different 
from  popular  plays,  if  he  had  done  something  different 
from  the  portrayal  of  universal  human  emotions  in 
language  universally  comprehensible,  the  results  of 


Source  Books 


such  researches  would  throw  more  light  than  they  do 
upon  William  Shakespeare's  mind  and  art.  There 
are  few  books  of  this  character  in  the  present  exhibition, 
although  the  collection  from  which  it  is  drawn  con- 
tains a  considerable  proportion  of  those  to  which 
scholars  have  made  significant  references. 

Quae  hoc  volumine  continentur.  Ovidii  Metamorphos- 
eon  Libri  quindecim.  Venetiis  in  Aedibus  Aldi, 
MDII. 

Shakespeare,  according  to  Ben  Jonson,  knew  "  small  Latin  and 
less  Greek,"  but  his  plays  repeatedly  reflect  familiarity  with 
passages  in  Ovid,  and  some  of  the  plots  were  almost  certainly 
drawn  directly  from  the  Metamorphoses. 

It  is  likely  that  his  own  copy  of  Ovid  was  one  printed  at  the 
press  of  Aldus  in  Venice.  The  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford 
possesses  the  copy  of  this  1502  edition,  with  Shakespeare's 
initials  in  what  is  believed  to  be  his  handwriting,  on  the  title- 
page. 

There  are  a  few  other  books  which  contain  what  appears  to 
be  Shakespeare's  autograph.  Unfortunately,  the  skill  with 
which  his  signature  has  been  forged,  especially  by  William 
Henry  Ireland  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  throws 
considerable  doubt  upon  the  authenticity  of  all  of  these. 

A  brefe  Chronycle  concerning  the  examination  and 
death  of  the  Blessed  Martir  of  Christ,  Sir  John 
Oldcastell  the  Lord  Cobham,  collected  together  by 
Johan  Bale,  [at  end]  Imprinted  at  London,  by 
Anthony  Scoloker,  and  Willid  Seres  Dwelling 
wythout  Alder sgate. 
Printed  about  1550. 

Shakespeare's  character  of  Falstaff  was  apparently  first  called 
Oldcastle.  It  is  supposed  that  objections  were  made  to  this  use 
of  the  name,  probably  by  his  descendant,  the  eighth  Lord  Cob- 
ham,  and  that  the  playwright  made  such  amends  as  he  could  in 
the  line,  "  Oldcastle  died  a  Martyr,  and  this  is  not  the  man." 

A  secondary  result  was  the  play  of  Sir  John  Oldcastle,  which 
attempts  to  vindicate  the  hero.  To  this,  by  a  further  association 
of  inaccurate  ideas,  Shakespeare's  name  was  attached  when 
Pavier  included  it  in  his  venture  of  1619. 

The  picture  of  Sir  John  on  the  title  of  this  tract  seems  to 
represent  the  original,  and  traditional,  Falstaffian  character. 


No.  47. 

Ovid,   Metamor- 
phoses 


I  Qvattro  Libri 
diSarava,  Vepice, 
1565 

Ras  tail's 
Statutes,  1598 
See  No.  73 


No.  48 
Oldcastle 


Falstaff 


See  No.  21 


26 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  49 

Peacham 


No.  60 

Gale's  Surgery 


No.  51 

Udall's  Terence 


No.  52 

Apuleius 


No.  53 

Fortescue 


The  Garden  of  Eloquence  Conteyning  the  Figures  of 
Grammer  and  Rhetorick,  from  which  maye  bee 
gathered  all  manner  of  Flowers,  Coulors,  Orna- 
ments, Exornations,  Formes  and  Fashions  of 
speech,  very  profitable  for  all  those  that  be  studious. 
Set  foorth  in  Englishe,  by  Henry  Peacham  Min- 
ister. Anno  1577.  Imprinted  in  Fleete  streete, 
beneath  the  Conduite,  at  the  Signe  of  Saint  John 
Evangelist,  by  H.  Jackson. 

The  First  Edition. 

This  is  a  book  that  would  doubtless  have  been  used  by 
Shakespeare  if  he  had  written  his  plays  the  way  many  teachers 
try  to  read  them. 

Certaine  Workes  of  Chirurgerie,  newlie  compiled  and 
published  by  Thomas  Gale,  Maister  of  Chirur- 
gerie. London  Printed  by  Thomas  East,  dwelling 
betweene  Paules  Wharfe  and  Bainards  Castle. 
1586. 

A  copy  of  this  work  is  known  to  have  been  in  use  at  Stratford 
in  Shakespeare's  time. 

Flour es  of  Latine  speakyng  selected  and  gathered  out  of 
Terence,  and  the  same  translated  into  englyshe, 
compiled  by  Nicolas   Udall,  Newly  corrected  and 
imprinted.     Anno  1560. 
A  popular  book  in  Shakespeare's  schooldays. 

The.    XI.  Bookes  of  the  Golden  Asse.     Translated  out 

of  Latine  into  Englishe  by  William  Adlington. 

Imprinted  by  William  How,  for  Abraham  Veale. 

1571. 

The  copy  in  the  British  Museum  is  said  to  be  the  only  other 

one  known  of  this  edition. 

The  Foreste  or  Collection  of  Histories,  no  lesse  profit- 
able, then  pleasant,  and  necessarie,  dooen  out  of 
Frenche  into  Englishe,  by  Thomas  Fortescue.  Im- 
printed by  John  Kyngston,  for  Wylliam  Jones. 
1571. 


Source  Books 


27 


The  French  Schoole-maister ,  wherin  is  most  plainly 
shewed,  the  true  and  most  perfect  way  of  pro- 
nouncinge  of  the  Frenche  tongue,  by  M.  Claudius 
Hollybande.  Imprinted  by  William  How,  for 
Abraham  Veale.  1573. 
The  First  Edition. 

The  Firste  (&  Laste)    volume  of  the  Chronicles  of  Eng- 
land, Scotlande  and  Irelande.    Imprinted  for  Lucas 
Harrison.     1577. 
The  First  Edition. 

Shakespeare  derived  much  of  his  knowledge  of  English  history 
from  these  volumes.  On  page  243  of  the  Chronicles  of  Scotland 
is  a  picture  of  Macbeth  meeting  the  weird  sisters. 

Florios  Second  Frutes,  of  divers  but  delightsome  tastes 
to  the  tongues  of  Italians  and  Englishmen.   Lon- 
don Printed  for    Thomas  Woodcock,  dwelling  at 
theBlack-beare.     1591. 
The  First  Edition. 

There  is  ample  evidence  that  Shakespeare  and  Florio,  both  of 
whom  were  patronized  by  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  were  well 
acquainted. 

The  complimentary  sonnet,  "  Phaeton  to  his  Friend  Florio," 
is  thought  to  have  been  written  by  Shakespeare.  If  it  was,  this 
was  the  poet's  first  printed  work. 

Willobie  his  Avisa  or  The  true  Picture  of  a  Modest 
Maide.  Imprinted  by  John  VVindet,  1609. 

The  Third  Edition. 

The  first  edition,  printed  in  1 594,  contained  the  earliest  printed 
allusion  to  Shakespeare  by  name  in  the  line: 

"  And  Shake-speare  paints  poore  Lucrece  rape." 

The  author,  Henry  Willoughby,  which  may  be  a  pseudonym, 
also  speaks  of  "  W.  S."  as  his  familiar  friend. 

The  Tragedie  of  Antonie.    Done  into  Englishe  by  the 
Countesse  of  Pern  broke.    Imprinted  at  London  for 
William  Ponsonby.    1595. 
The  First  separate  Edition. 

An  imperfect  copy  of  this  poem  is  the  first  piece  in  the  volume 
which  contains  the  unique  Venus  and  Adonis,  described  as 
No.  42. 


No.  54 

Hollyband 


No.  55 

Holinshed 


No.  56 

Florio 


Shakespeare's 
First  Printed 
Work 


No.  67 

Willoughby 
Avisa,  1594 


First  Allusion  to 
Shakespeare 


No.  58 

Mary  Sidney 


No.  59 


28 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  60 

Daniel's 
Delia 


No.  61 

Richard    Barn- 
field;  Cynthia 


No.  62 

Spenser's 
Amoretti 


No.  63 

Thomas  Lodge's 
Rosalynde 


No.  64 

Dowland's 

Ayres 


No.  65 

Reynolds' 
Stage-Playes 


Delia    and    Rosamond    augmented.      Cleopatra.     By 
Samuel  Daniell.     Printed  for  S.  Water  son,  dwell- 
ing in  Paules  Church-yard,  at  the  signe  of  the 
Crowne.     1595. 
The  Fourth  Edition. 
In  the   Venus  and  Adonis  volume. 

These  Sonnets,  which  were  first  printed  in  1592,  were  dedicated 
to  the  Countess  of  Pembroke;  see  Nos.  58  and  66. 

Cynthia.     With  Certaine  Sonnets,  and  the  Legend  of 
Cassandra.    Printed  for  Humfrey  Lownes,  at  the 
West  doore  of  Paules.    1595. 
In  the  Venus  and  Adonis  volume. 

Amoretti  and  Epithalamion.  Written  not  long  since 
by  Edmunde  Spenser.  Printed  for  William  Pon- 
sonby.  1595. 

The  First  Edition. 

In  the  Venus  and  Adonis  volume. 

Rosalynde.  Euphues  Golden  Legacie  Fetcht  from  the 
Canaries  by  T.  L.  Gent.  Printed  for  N.  Lyng, 
and  T.  Gabbins.  1596. 

The  Third  Edition.    The  first  was  published  in  1590. 
As  You  Like  It,  probably  written  in  the  autumn  of  1599,  is  "a 
dramatic  adaptation  of  this  pastoral  romance." 

The  First  Booke  of  Songes  or  Ayres  of  fowre  partes  with 
Tableture  for  the  Lute :    Composed  by  John  Dow- 
land  Lutenist.     Printed  by  Peter  Short,  dwelling 
on  Bredstreet  hill  at  the  sign  of  the  Starr  e,  1597. 
Dowland  was  mentioned  in  The  Passionate  Pilgrime  : 
"  If  Musicke  and  sweet  Poetrie  agree, 
Dowland  to  thee  is  deere,  whose  heavenly  tuch 
Upon  the  Lute,  dooth  ravish  humane  sense." 
The  music  is  arranged  on  the  page  so  that  it  can  be  read  by 
the  singers  standing  on  three  sides  of  the  open  book. 

Th'  overthrow  of  Stage-play es,  By  the  way  of  contro- 
versie  betwixt  D.  Gager  and  D.  Rainoldes,  where- 
in all  the  Reasons  that  can  be  made  for  them  are 
notably  refuted;  1599. 
The  First  Edition. 


Source  Books 


29 


The  Countesse  of  Pembrokes  Arcadia.  Written  by 
Sir  Philip  Sidney  Knight.  Now  for  the  third 
time  published,  with  sundry  new  additions.  Lon- 
don. Imprinted  for  William  Ponsonbie.  1598. 

The  Third  Edition. 

Edmund  Malone's  copy. 

Sidney's  sister,  the  Duchess  of  Pembroke,  was  the  mother  of 
the  "Incomparable  Paire  of  Brethren,"  William  and  Philip 
Herbert,  to  whom  the  First  Folio  was  dedicated,  because  they 
"  have  been  pleas'd  to  thinke  these  trifles  (the  plays)  some-thing, 
heeretofore ;  and  have  prosequuted  both  them,  and  their  Authour, 
living,  with  so  much  favour." 

The  portrait  of  William  Herbert,  Third  Earl  of  Pembroke, 
was  engraved  by  Lucas  Vorsterman,  probably  not  long  before  the 
Earl's  death  in  1630.  The  portrait  of  his  brother  Philip,  which  is 
dated  1630,  is  mentioned  in  a  note  to  No.  98. 

Englands  Parnassus:  or  The  choysest  Flowers  of  our 
Moderne  Poets,  with  their  Poeticall  comparisons. 
Imprinted  for  N.L.  C.B.  and  Th.  Hayes.    1600. 
Shakespeare  contributed  91    of    the    2350    extracts    in  this 
dictionary  of  quotations.     Two-thirds  of  these  are  from   Venus 
and  Adonis,  or  Lucrece;  nearly  half  the  others  from  Romeo  and 
Juliet;  the  remainder  from  Richard  II,  Richard  II 7,  Henry  IV, 
part  I,  and  Love's  Labor's  Lost. 

The  Civile  Wares  betweene  the   Houses  of  Lancaster 
and    Yorke  corrected  and  continued  by  Samuel 
Daniel.     Printed  by  Simon  Water  sonne,  1600. 
This  edition  is  not  mentioned  in  Dr.  Grosart's  reprint,  for  the 

Spencer  Society,  in  1885.    First  printed  in  1595,  and  with  additions 

in  1599. 

A  Declaration  of  the  Practices  and  Treasons  attempted 
and  committed  by  Robert  late  Earle  of  Essex  and 
his  Complices,  against  her  Maiestie.  Imprinted 
by  Robert  Barker,  1601. 

Essex,  Southampton  and  their  fellow-conspirators  paid  one  of 
the  actors  in  Shakespeare's  company  to  arrange  a  performance 
of  Richard  77,  with  the  deposition  scene,  on  February  7,  1601, 
the  day  preceding  the  projected  uprising. 


No.  66 

Sidney's 
Arcadia 


Shakespeare's 
acquaintance 
with   Sidney's 
family 


No.  67 


No.  68 


No.  69 

Robert  Allot's 
England's     Par- 
nassus 


No.  70 

Daniel's 
Civil  Wars 


No.  71 

Essex 
Conspiracy 


See  No.  S 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  72 

Essex's 
Apologie 
Published  by 
Lord  Bacon 


No.  73 

Florio's 
Montaigne 


See  No.  47 


No.  74 

England's 
Mourning 
Garment 


No.  75 

Dekker 


An  Apologie  of  the  Earle  of  Essex,  against  those  which 
jealously  and  maliciously  tax  him  to  be  the  hin- 
der er  of  the  peace  and  quiet  of  his  country. 
Penned  by  himself  in  Anno  1598.  Imprinted  by 
Richard  Bradocke,  1603. 

The  Essayes  or  Morall,  Politike  and  Millitarie  Dis- 
courses of  Lo:  Michaell  de  Montaigne,  now  done 
into  English  By  John  Florio.  Printed  by  Val. 
Sims  for  Edward  Blount  dwelling  in  Paules 
church  yard.  1603. 
The  First  Edition. 

Florio's  translation  was  quoted  in  The  Tempest, 
A  copy  of  this  edition  in  the  British  Museum  contains  Shake- 
speare's name  in  what  looks  like  his  autograph. 

Inglandes  Mourning  Garment'.  Worne  here  in  Mem- 
orie  of  their  sacred  Mistresse, Elizabeth,  To  which 
is  added  the  true  manner  of  her  Emperiall  Fu- 
nerall.  After  which  foloweth  the  Shepheards 
Spring-Song,  for  entertainment  of  King  James. 
Printed  by  V.  S.  for  Thomas  Millington,  under 
saint  Peters  Church  in  Cornhil. 
Queen  Elizabeth  died  March  24,  1603. 

The  Magnificent  Entertainment:  Given  to  King  James, 
Queene  Anne  his  wife,  and  Henry  Frederick  the 
Prince,  upon  the  day  of  his  Maiesties  Triumphant 
Passage  (from  the  Tower)  through  his  Honour- 
able Citie  (and  Chamber)  of  London,  being  the  15. 
of  March.  1603.  With  the  speeches  and  Songes, 
delivered  in  the  sever  all  Pageants.  Tho.  Dekker. 
Imprinted  by  T.  C.  for  Tho.  Man  the  yonger. 
1604. 

The  Royal  procession  through  London,  on  the  coronation  of 
James  I.,  had  been  postponed  from  the  previous  July,  on  account 
of  the  plague  which  was  prevalent  in  the  city.  During  the  inter- 
val Shakespeare's  Company  gave  a  number  of  performances  be- 
fore the  King  and  court  at  Hampton  Court. 

Shakespeare  is  named  first  in  the  list  of  the  Company  of  Actors 
who  received  each  four  and  a  half  yards  of  scarlet  cloth,  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Royal  household,  for  use  on  the  day  of  this  procession. 


Contemporaries 


Relation  de  la  Jornada  del  Excmo.  Condestable  de 
Castilla,  a  las  pazes  entre  Hespana  y  Inglaterra, 
que  se  concluyeron  y  firaron  en  Londres,  por  el 
mes  de  Agosto.  Ano  M.  DC.  iiii.  En  Anveres, 
1604. 

The  Spanish  Constable  and  the  members  of  his  suite  who 
visited  London  in  August,  1604,  to  ratify  the  treaty  of  peace 
with  England,  were  entertained  with  elaborate  festivities. 
Shakespeare  and  the  other  members  of  his  company  were 
specially  ordered  to  attend  at  Somerset  House,  where  the 
Spaniards  were  lodged,  during  the  eighteen  days  that  the  mis- 
sion remained  in  London. 

Seianus  his  Fall.  Writen  by  Ben :  Jonson.  A  t  London 
Printed  by  G.  Elide,  for  Thomas  Thorpe.  1605. 

The  First  Edition. 

In  the  list  of  actors  who  took  part  in  the  first  performance  of 
this  play,  Shakespeare's  name  heads  the  second  column. 

Thorpe,  a  few  months  later,  printed  the  first  edition  of  Shakes- 
peare's Sonnets, 

The    Returne  from    Parnassus:   Or    The   Scourge   of 
Simony,  Publiquely  acted  by  the  Students  in  St. 
Johns    College  in  Cambridge.    Printed  by  G.  Eld, 
for  John  Wright,  at  Christ  church  Gate.    1606. 
The  First  Edition. 

This  college  play  contains  numerous  references  to  Shakespeare. 
In  Act  4,  Scene  3,  which  is  a  dialogue  between  two  characters 
with  the  names  of  the  two  principal  actors  in  Shakespeare's  Com- 
pany, Burbage  and  Kemp,  the  latter  remarks:  "Our  fellow 
Shakespeare  put  them  all  downe,  I  (/".  e.,  Aye)  and  Ben  Jonson 
too.  O  that  Ben  Jonson  is  a  pestilent  fellow,  but  our  fellow 
Shakespeare  hath  given  him  a  purge  that  made  him  beray  his 
credit." 

The  Queenes  Arcadia.  A  Pastorall  Trage-comedie  pre- 
sented to  her  Maiestie  and  her  Ladies,  by  the 
Universitie  of  Oxford  in  Christs  Church,  in  August 
last.  1605.  At  London.  Printed  by  G.  Eld,  for 
Simon  Waterson,  1606. 
The  First  Edition. 

Bound  with  the  1609  edition  of  Pericles,  No.  6. 
Dr.  Grosart  in  his  edition  of  Daniel's  Works,  speaks  of  the 
exemplar  in  the   Malone  collection  at  Oxford  as  "probably 
unique." 


No.  76 

Spanish  Treaty 


Antwerp 


Juan  Fernandez 
de  Velasco 


No.  77 

Jonson 'sSejanus 
1603 


No.  78 

Return  from 
Parnassus. 
Probably  acted 
in  1601 


No.  79 

Samuel  Daniel's 
Queen's  Arcadia 


32 

William  Shakespeare 

No.  80 

Chapman's 
Homer,  1609 

Homer  Prince  of  Poets:  Translated  according  to  the 
Greece;  by  Geo:    Chapman.     At  London  printed 
for  Samuel  Macham. 
Some  writers  have  thought  that  Chapman  was  the  rival  for 
Southampton's  favor,  who  is  referred  to  in  the  Sonnets. 

No.  81 

Histrio-Mastix 


No.  82 

Day's  Law-tricks 


No.  83 

Scourge  of  Folly 
printed  about 
1610 


No.  84 

Spenser's  Faerie 
Queen 


Probably  written 
in  1594 


Dray  ton's  copy 


No.  85 

Dray  ton's 
Poly-Olbion 


Histrio-Mastix.  Or,  The  Player  Whipt.  Printed  for 
Th.  Thorp.  1610. 

Law-tricks  or,  Who  would  have  thought  it.  Written  by 
John  Day.  Printed  for  Richard  More,  in  S. 
Dunstanes  Church-yard  in  Fleete-streete.  1608. 

The  Scourge  of  Folly.  Consisting  of  satyricall  Epi- 
grammes,  and  others  in  honor  of  many  noble  and 
worthy  persons  of  our  Land.  At  London  printed 
by  E.  A.  for  Richard  Redmtr  sould  at  his  shop 
at  ye  west  gate  of  Paules. 

Epigram  159,  on  page  76,  is:  "To  our  English  Terence  Mr. 
Will :  Shake-speare." 

"  Some  say  (good  Will)  Which  I,  in  sport,  do  sing, 
Had'st  thou  not  plaid  some  Kingly  parts  in  sport, 
Thou  hadst  bin  a  companion  for  a  King; 
And,  beene  a  King  among  the  meaner  sort." 

Faerie  Queen;  the  Shepherd's  Calendar,  together  with 
the  other  works  of  England's  Arch  Poet.  Printed 
by  H.L.for  Mathew  Lownes.  1611. 

The  Second  Folio  Edition. 

The  lines  in  Colin  Clouts  come  home  againe,  "  Whose  muse, 
full  of  high  thought's  invention,  Doth,  like  himselfe,  heroically 
sound."  are  thought  to  refer  to  Shakespeare,  under  the  name 
of  "  Action." 

This  copy  belonged  to  Shakespeare's  friend  and  rival  dramatist, 
Michael  Drayton. 

Poly-Olbion,  A  Chorographicall  Description  of  all  the 
Tracts,  Rivers,  Mountains,  Forests,  and  other 
Parts  of  this  Renowned  Isle  of  Great  Britain, 
with  intermixture  of  the  most  Remarkeable  Stories, 
Antiquities,  Wonders,  &c.,  Divided  into  two 
bookes,  the  latter  containing  twelve  Songs,  never 


Contemporaries 


33 


before  Imprinted.    London.    Printed  by  H.  L.  for 
Mathew  Lownes:  I.  Browne:  I.    Helme,  and  I. 
Bushie.     1613. 
The  First  Edition. 

A  Stratford  vicar  recorded  the  story  that  Drayton  and  Ben 
Jonson  were  guests  at  New  Place  in  the  spring  of  1616  and  "  had 
a  merry  meeting,"  but  "  it  seems  drank  too  hard,  for  Shakespeare 
died  of  a  feavour  there  contracted." 

The  Marriage  of  the  two  great  Princes,  Fredericke 
Count  Palatine  and  the  lady  Elizabeth,  daughter 
to  King  James  and  Queene  Anne;  upon  Shrove- 
Sonday  last.  With  the  Showes  and  Fire-workes 
upon  the  Water:  As  also  the  Masks  &  Revells,  in 
his  Highnes  Court  of  White- Hall.  Printed  by 
T.  C.  for  William  Barley,  and  are  to  be  sold  by 
W.  Wright,  at  his  Shop  on  Snow-hill,  nere  S. 
Pulchers  church,  at  the  signe  of  the  Harrow.  1613. 
The  Tempest  was  one  of  nineteen  plays  which  were  presented 

during  May,  1613,  as  a  part  of  the  nuptial  festivities. 

The  Annales,  or  Generall  Chronicle  of  England,  begun 
first  by  Maister  John  Stow,  and  after  him  con- 
tinued by  Edmond  Howes,  gentleman.  Londini 
Impensis  Thomae  Adams.  1615. 

The  Workes  of  the  most  High  and  Mighty  Prince, 
James,  By  the  grace  of  God  Kinge  of  Great  Brit- 
taine.  London  Printed  by  Robert  Barker  & 
John  Bill.  1616. 

Shakespeare  is  the  pre-eminent  figure  in  English 
literature.  For  two  centuries  there  has  been  an  un- 
bjoken  succession  of  writers,  students  and  critics 
who  have  borne  testimony  to  his  greatness  as  poet 
and  dramatist.  Literary  styles  have  changed  with 
other  fashions,  but  the  devotees  of  each  new  vogue 
have  found  in  the  writings  of  the  great  Elizabethan 
the  complete  embodiment  of  their  most  cherished 
ideals.  To  one  he  is  "the  bright  star  of  Romanti- 
cism," and  to  another  the  perfect  realist. 


No.  86 

Marriage  of  the 
Princess  Eliza- 
beth 


No.  87 

Stow's  Chronicle 


No.  88 

King   James's 
Works 


Shakespeare 's 
acknowledged 
pre-eminence 


34 


William  Shakespeare 


Basse's  tribute 
Written  before 
1623 


Nos.  89  & 


1633 


No.  91 

The  Araignment 
of  Women 


No.  92 

Bacon's 

Instauratio 


Shakespeare's  own  generation  expressed  its  appre- 
ciation of  him  by  reading  his  poems  and  plays  before 
they  became  schoolroom  classics  and  essential  li- 
brary furnishings,  and  by  praising  him  openly  in 
print.  Throughout  the  seventeenth  century  he  was 
repeatedly  spoken  of  in  terms  which  match  the  most 
extravagant  enthusiasm  of  later  generations. 

Shortly  after  the  poet's  death, William  Basse  wrote 
the  verses  which  were  accepted  at  the  time  as  most 
adequately  expressing  the  feeling  of  the  English 
reading  public.  -They  were  repeatedly  copied  into 
manuscript  collections  of  contemporary  poetry,  and 
several  times  printed,  beginning  with  the  first  edition 
of  John  Donne's  Poems,  through  a  mistaken  ascrip- 
tion of  the  authorship  to  him. 

"Renowned  Spencer  lye  a  thought  more  nyghe 
To  Learned  Chaucer  &  rare  Beaumont  lye 
A  little  nearer  Spencer  to  make  roome 
For  Shakspear  in  yor  threefold  fourfold  Tombe 
To  lodge  all  foure  in  one  bedd,  make  a  shifte 
Untill  Doomesdaye ;  For  hardly  will  a  fifte 
Betwixt  this  daye  and  that  by  Fate  bee  slayne 
For  whome  your  Curtaines  may  bee  drawne  againe. 
If  your  precedencie  in  Death  doth  barre 
A  fourth  place  in  your  Sacred  Sepulcher 
Under  this  carved  marble  of  thyne  owne 
Sleepe  rare  Tragedian,  Shakespeare  sleepe  alone 
Thy  unmolested  Peace,  unshared  Cave 
Possesse  as  Lord,  not  Tenant  of  thy  Grave 
That  unto  us  and  others  it  may  bee 
Honour  hereafter  to  be  layd  by  thee." 

The  Araignment  of  Lewd,  Idle,  Froward,  and  unconstant 
Women :  Or  the  vanitie  of  them;  choose  you  whether. 
Pleasant  for  married  men,  profitable  for  young 
Men,  and  hurtfull  to  none.  London:  Printed  for 
Thomas  Archer,  at  his  shop  in  Popes-head  Pal- 
lace,  neere  the  Royall  Exchange.  1617. 
The  picture  on  the  title-page  illustrates  the  costumes  of  the 

period. 

Francisci  de  Verulamio  Summi  Angliae  Cancellarij, 
Instauratio  magna.  Londini  Apud  Joannem 
Billium  Typographum  Regium.  1620. 


Recognition 


35 


Francis  Bacon,  whose  name  is  frequently  associated  with  that 
of  Shakespeare,  was  born  January  22,  1561.  His  acknowledged 
writings  are  of  a  somewhat  different  literary  character  and  style 
from  those  of  the  dramatist. 

A  Quip  for  an  upstart  courtier :  or,  A  quaint  dispute 
between  Velvet  breeches  and  cloth  breeches.  Wherein 
is  plainely  set  downe  the  disorders  in  all  Estates 
and  Trades.  London,  printed  byG.  P.  1620. 

Swetnam.     The   Woman-hater,  arraigned  by  women. 

London,  Printed  for  Richard  Meighen,  and  are 

to  be  sold  at  his  Shops  at  Saint  Clements  Church 

over-against  Essex    House,   and  at    Westminster 

Hall.     1620. 

The  Third  Edition;  not  mentioned  in  the  list  in  the  reprint 
of  1880. 

The  printer,  Meighen,  was  one  of  the  venturers  in  the  Second 
Folio. 

Greenes  Tu  quoque,  or  the  Citie  Gallant,  as  it  hath 
beene  divers  times  acted  by  the  Queenes  Maiesties 
Servants.  Written  by  John  Cooke  Gent.  Printed 
for  Thomas  Dewe  in  Saint  Dunstans  Church-yard 
in  Fleetstreet.  1622. 
The  portrait  on  the  title  is  that  of  the  popular  comic  actor, 

Thomas  Greene,  who  has  been  said  to  have  come  from  Stratford. 

The  Essayes  or  Counsels,  Civill  and  Morall,  of  Francis 
Lo.  Verulam,  Viscount  St.  Alban.  Newly  written. 
London,  Printed  by  John  Haviland  for  Hanna 
Barret.  1625. 

The  first  edition  to  contain  the  fifty-eight  essays,  and  the  last 
printed  during  the  author's  lifetime. 

Edmund  Malone's  copy,  with  manuscript  annotations. 

Considerations  touching  a  Warre  with  Spaine.  Written 
by  the  Right  Honourable  Francis  Lo.  Verulam. 
Imprinted  1629. 

loannis  Seldeni  I.  C.  de  Dis  Syris  Syntagmata  II. 
Lugduni  Batavarum    [Leyden]  Ex  Officina  Bon- 
aventurae  &  AbrahamiElsevir.    1629. 
The  name  and  motto  on  the  tide-page  are  in  the  autograph  of 
Ben  Jonson. 


No.  93 

Quip  for  a 
Courtier 


No.  94 

Joseph  Swetnam 


See  No.  27 


No.  96 
Greene's 
Tu  quoque 


No.  96 

Bacon's  Essays 


No.  97 

Bacon's  War 
with  Spain 


No.  98 

Ben  Jonson 's 
copy  of  Selden's 
Dis  Syris 


William  Shakespeare 


No.  99 

Brath  wait's 
English   Gentle- 


No.  100 
Philip  Herbert' 
copy  of  Stow's 
London 


See  No.  66 


No.  68 


No.  101 

Bacon's  Life 
and  Death 


No.  102 

Bacon's 
Advancement 
of  Learning 


See  No.  45 


The  English  Gentleman:  Containing  Sundry  excellent 
Rules  or  exquisite  Observations,  tending  to  direc- 
tion  of  every  Gentleman,   of  selecter  ranke  and 
qualitie;  By  Richard  Brathwait.    Printed  by  John 
Haviland,  and  are  to  be  sold  by  Robert  Bostock 
at  his  shop  at  the  signe  of  the   Kings   Head  in 
Pauls  Church-yard.  1630. 
The  First  Edition,  in  its  original  binding. 
Brathwait  protested  against  the  persistent  vogue  of   Venus 

and  Adonis. 

The  Survey  of  London :  Contayning  The  Originall,  In- 
crease, Moderne  Estate,  and  Government  of  that 
City,  Methodically  set  downe.  Begunne  first  by 
the  paines  and  industry  of  John  Stow,  in  the  yeere 
1598.  Printed  by  Elizabeth  Pur  slow,  and  are  to 
be  sold  by  Nicholas  Bourne,  at  his  Shop  at  the 
South  Entrance  of  the  Royall  Exchange.  1633. 

The  notes  on  the  fly-leaves  and  margins  are  believed  to  be  in 
the  handwriting  of  Philip  Herbert,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  one  of  the 
two  brothers  to  whom  the  First  Folio  was  dedicated. 

The  portrait  of  Philip  Herbert  as  Earl  of  Montgomery,  shown 
alongside  the  dedication  to  the  Folio  editions,  was  engraved  by 
Vorsterman  and  Webb  in  1630.  Later  in  this  year  he  succeeded 
his  brother  William  as  Earl  of  Pembroke. 

The  Historie  of  Life  and  Death  Written  by  the  Right 
Honourable  Francis  Lo:  Verulam.  Printed  for 
Humphrey  Mosley  at  the  Princes  A  rmes  in  Paules 
Church-yard.  An:  1638. 

Of  the  Advancement  and  Proficience  of  Learning  Writ- 
ten in  Latin  by  the  Most  Eminent  Illustrious  & 
Famous  Lord  Francis  Bacon  Interpreted  by  Gil- 
bert Wats.  Oxford.  Printed  by  Leon:  Lichfield, 
Printer  to  the  University,  for  Rob :  Young  &  Ed. 
Forrest.  1640. 
The  title  and  portrait  were  engraved  by  William  Marshall, 

who  engraved  the  portrait  for  the  Shakespeare's  Poems  printed 

the  same  year. 


Recognition 


37 


Bacon's  signature  is  shown  on  an  official  letter  addressed  by 
the  Lords  of  the  Council  to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  dated 
October  25,  1620,  concerning  England's  contribution  toward  the 
wars  in  Germany.  The  other  signers  are  Baron  Carew  of  Clop- 
ton  and  Earl  of  Totnes,  George  Abbot,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  Sir  Robert  Naunton,  Lord  Lennox, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Winchester. 

The  Workes  of  Benjamin  Jonson.  London:  Printed 
by  Richard  Bishop,  and  are  to  be  sold  by  Andrew 
Crooke,  in  St.  Paules  Church-yard.  1640. 

Shakespeare's  name  occurs  in  the  lists  of  actors  who  presented 
several  of  these  plays. 

EIKONOKAA2TH2  In  Answer  to  a  Book  IntitVd 
E'IK&N  BA2IAIKH',  The  Portrature  of  his 
Sacred  Majesty  in  his  Solitudes  and  Sufferings. 
The  Author  I.  M.  London,  Printed  by  Matthew 
Simmons,  next  dore  to  the  gilded  Lyon  in  Alders- 
gate  street.  1649. 

The  statement  that  Shakespeare  was  "  the  Closet  Companion 
of  these  his  solitudes,"  referring  to  King  Charles  I,  is  on  page  n. 

The  King's  copy  of  the  Second  Folio,  of  1632,  is  now  in  the 
Royal  Library  at  Windsor  Castle.  The  copy  of  the  same  edition 
which  belonged  to  his  son,  Charles  II,  is  in  the  British  Museum. 

Theatrum  Poetarum,  or  a  compleat  Collection  of  the 
Poets,  Especially  The  most  Eminent,  of  all  Ages. 
Together  with  a  Prefatory  Discourse  By  Edward 
Phillips.  London,  Printed  for  Charles  Smith,  at 
the  Angel  near  the  Inner  Temple-Gate  in  Fleet- 
Street.  1675. 

On  page  194  is  the  account  of  "  Shakespcar,  the  Glory  of  the 
English  Stage;  whose  nativity  at  Stratford  upon  Avon,  is  the 
highest  honour  that  town  can  boast  of." 


No.  103 

Bacon 's 
Signature 


No.  104 

Ben  Jonson 's 
Works 


No.  105 

Milton  on 
Charles  I 


No.  106 

Phillips.' 

Theatrum 

Poetarum 


LI>21-100W.7,'39(402S) 


iRARIES 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


